ELK-2-415: elk hunt in Unit 56, Sep 15-24
ELK-2-415 is a 2026-27 New Mexico draw hunt for an elk of either sex with a bow in Unit 56, September 15 to 24, with 5 licenses (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91). In the 2026 draw, 19 applicants chose it first and 2 of them drew it (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025-26, NMDGF reports 5 licenses sold, 5 hunters reporting, a 25% success rate, 1 bull and 0 cows taken.
Data updated October 2026. Hunt: NMDOW's 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91. Draw: NMDOW's 2026 and 2025 drawing reports. Results: NMDGF harvest reports.
BLMState trust landUnit 56Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| Species and bag | Elk: Either sex (any one elk, includes spike bull) |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Bow |
| Dates | September 15 to 24 (2026-27) |
| Unit | Unit 56 |
| Licenses | 5 (drawn) |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 | 19 (2 drew on first choice) |
| Result, 2025-26 | 25% success, 1 bull, 0 cows |
| Public land in the hunt's units | 21.7% |
How many hunters applied for ELK-2-415?
19 applicants chose ELK-2-415 first in the 2026 draw and 2 drew it on that choice, 10.5% of them. 5 of the 5 licenses were drawn in all. In 2025: 24 first-choice applicants and 4 drawn on first choice. These are NMDOW's results for those draws, not a forecast.
| Pool, 2026 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 18 | 21 | 20 | 2 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 19 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 5 |
| Pool, 2025 | First choice | Second choice | Third choice | Drawn on first choice | Drawn in all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 24 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
| Nonresidents without an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants with an outfitter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All applicants | 24 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 5 |
Source: NMDOW 2026 big game drawing report and NMDOW 2025 big game drawing report.
How did hunters do on ELK-2-415?
NMDGF's results for ELK-2-415, season by season, for every season it reported this code in the same units. The newest success rate is 25% (2025-26), from 5 hunters reporting. Licenses sold went from 5 in 2023-24 to 5 in 2025-26.
| Season | Bag | Dates | Licenses sold | Hunters reporting | Success rate | Bulls | Cows | Days hunted, average | Hunter satisfaction, 1 to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 5 | 5 | 25% | 1 | 0 | 8.5 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 5 | 5 | 75% | 3 | 0 | 3.25 | 4.5 |
| 2023-24 | ES | Sept 15-24 | 5 | 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 6.25 | 4 |
Source: NMDGF 2025-26 elk harvest report, NMDGF 2024-25 elk harvest report and NMDGF 2023-24 elk harvest report and earlier NMDOW elk harvest reports.
How does ELK-2-415 compare with the other Unit 56 elk hunts?
ELK-2-415 is one of 4 elk hunt codes NMDOW lists for Unit 56 in 2026-27. In the 2026 draw it had the 2nd most first-choice applicants of the 4 drawn ones (19). Its 2025-26 success rate, 25%, was the 4th highest of the 4 codes NMDGF reported there that season. Unit 56 elk hunts has all of them side by side, with the area's harvest by season. The hunt's units are 21.7% public land (247,202 acres).
Questions hunters ask
How many licenses does ELK-2-415 have?
NMDOW lists 5 licenses for ELK-2-415 in 2026-27 (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 91). NMDGF's 2024-25 report shows 5 sold.
What is the success rate for ELK-2-415?
NMDGF's 2025-26 harvest report gives ELK-2-415 a 25% success rate, from 5 hunters reporting. Over the 3 seasons NMDGF reported it, the rate ran from 0% to 75%.
How many people applied for ELK-2-415 in 2026?
61 applicants listed ELK-2-415 as a first, second or third choice in the 2026 draw; 19 chose it first and 2 of those drew it, 10.5% of first-choice applicants (NMDOW 2026 drawing report). In 2025, 24 chose it first.
Can nonresidents apply for ELK-2-415?
Yes. Nonresidents draw from the 6% of licenses set aside for them, or the 10% for applicants with a registered outfitter (NMDOW 2026-27 Hunting Rules and Information, page 18). NMDOW warns that with 5 licenses, an outfitted applicant is extremely unlikely to draw this hunt, and a nonresident is extremely unlikely to draw it.